FAA likely to miss 2015 deadline to allow drones in the US

The Federal Aviation Administration, in charge of all things flying over the United States, is behind on their 2015 deadline to pass laws and licenses to allow drones in the US, according to a report from the Department of Transportation’s inspector general’s office.

The report claims that there are significant boundaries in place for the FAA and the likelihood of the administration getting this sorted by next year is short. The FAA needs to meet certain air traffic control regulations, like making sure the drones understand the air traffic and avoid incoming air traffic.

There also needs to be safety precautions to make sure drones cannot die while on flight and if they do, making sure they do not damage anything below. All of these safety precautions and more are being investigated by the Department of Transportation.

The FAA claims that in the past few months, they have worked hard on implementing safety and security enhancements to drones. This does sound good, but the Department of Transportation needs to approve of these moves and it could take longer than a year to get it refined.

Commercial drones would be an incredible new sight to see, instead of having packages shipped by big FedEx trucks, drones would fly in the sky, drop down and post the package. Amazon has already shown this possibility exists, even if it is a few years from actually happening.

Dominos and other commercial companies who deliver goods have shown their interest in drones. It does remove the needs for a driver and a car, potentially lowering prices of delivery and automating the process.

No other country has stepped forward and announced plans for drones in the sky, but in the near future we might see the European Union or China announce moves to offer commercial airspace for drones.